NASA

NASA SPACE CENTER or Johnson Space Center-HOUSTON. The tram tour took us to Saturn 5 building and where astronauts train for the International Space Station which has replica of Russian and US connection to teh space station. They have developed a prototype of new moon buggy with 12 wheels for 2030 use(left picture-looks like 2 bugs). Last shuttle mission is this Thursday, because a congressman slipped into a bill after Obama ended the space shuttle program. 41,000 employees. The space center $23 entree fee w/o discount($5 OFF ON WEB) and $18 for 2 hotdogs and cokes makes me think they are working on sustainability.Lots of history, memorabilia and fun activities, especially for kids.

I couldn't get Mike to put his head thru the austronaut space suit photo opp, but when we get to the off shore oil museum the next day, he wants me to take a picture of him as a driller. Go figure! (He looked exactly the same except his shirt said "EUREKA!"

Houston -we have a problem

Got to a great RV park - Advanced RV Park. Went swimming in 80 degree water and then hot tubbing. One fellow had caught 60# of red fish and offered some. Unfortunately I gave him the wrong # of our camp so didn't get it delivered, gutted aand cleaned today, as promised. Tonight others said they say him cleaning fish today and Fred got some. Well, will check tomorrow, but as Melissa says, Fish and relatives start smelling after 3 days, so may let that pass.

Went to Johnson Space Center today. Pretty cool. There's a launch THURSDAY FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER TO THE International Space Station= about the end of that mission.

They are researching new land-rovers for future space travel around 2030. Wonder if will happen. It employees 41,000 so big business.

We left the Space Station to check on a motorcycle Chris found on Craig's list - 2 hours later we got the 49 miles on I-45 only to discover it wasn't a good buy - so headed back and Alice blacked out on us (GPS). I upgraded her on line tonight because going North she had us taking exits that were no longer there with the construction. I would have blacked out too.

Got home too late to play Card BINGO with the RVers. Here's the rules: 4/table, Deal out all the cards. People arrange them by suit. The caller has his own deck and calls out cards (queen of hears, 2 of clubs...) if you have it you throw it in the middle of your table. First to run out of cards is the winner. They play for $.25/game and had 3 tables going and played 12 games. They go fast he said.

Had a great BBQ steak dinner. Mike's a great BBQer. We walked around the paved park before I went swimming again. A lot of nice folks here that spend the winter.

Krewe du Vieux Parade -Satire , Humor & Sexy

Krewe du Vieux is the parade many look forward to most, a satirical and humorously explicit parade through the Marigny and French Quarter. It was like nothing seen before - mule drawn floats followed by an entourage of revelers in costumes following the theme of the floats and of course a jazz band of about 6-10 sandwiched between the festive folks. The streets were so lined with people, the parade hardly had enough room to squeeze through as we were all out on the street taking pictures and getting beads -- or like the young chicks - getting squeezed or felt.

Rene and I seen here in our Mardi Gras attire. The poncho (from my mother-in-law) was for easy flashing.

Satire floats included several on Sarah Palin, queen of heartless followed by Alice in wonderland costumes , TSA- the good hands people followed by a bunch of people dressed in tsa uniforms, Pizza Slut followed by people ADORNED WITH PIZZA SLUT BOXES, New Oilins- satire on BP. Many more. There must have been 500 people walking in the parade in various costumes from cross dressing but most following the theme of the mule drawn float.
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/21/as-mardi-gras-season-begins-krewe-de-vieux-spills-laughter/


Here's a website with comments on parade and inside humor.

Rene fell flat on her face walking back thru the french quarter - and she was sober. We worried about broken bones, but she was just sore the next day. We caught a cab back to RV park cuz too crazy with people to drive. Done that - once is enough!

Owen & the Citrus tree

Rene's 10 year old grandson diagnosed with cancer as had cat scans, PET scans and more and it is confined to the knee, a good thing. He starts on Monday with 5 weeks of radiation at Mayo - staying at the Ronald McDonald house, 4 weeks at home and then surgery. Cassidy's will go their on their way home. Owen has the best attitude and texts grandma or calls often. He wanted an orange tree. We got it at the same roadside market where we got blood oranges. It's been decorating the patio area. Shopcat is out exploring as the dogs are in Cassidy's RV.

Growing around the middle

Our life seems to rotate around all the good eating here and we're getting a little concerned about being able to button our pants. My goal is 10000 steps a day ( pedometer- figures about 4 miles). We're really close to Ponchartrain Park, an almost abandoned park with tennis court and golf course which are both closed now. I took a 7 iron and putter and went to play wack-damn. I haven't golfed since my accident in 2004 but, you know how one good hit will keep you going even if 20 bad ones follow.

They are just putting in 4 tennis courts next to four pre-Katrina courts. All have lights. The construction porta-pottie is still there. Isn't it nice they have a molded place to put your purse. Ha.

Oriental Massage

While exploring the French Quarter we were offered free massages. Cass's back was hurting so we retraced our steps and he took them up on a back massage. Rene and I were offered free foot massages. After getting one foot feeling good they said 20 minutes $24. We said no but did do 10 minutes for $12 (5 minutes per foot.) I'm sure it was longer than that and Cass paid them $40 for all of us. It was worth every penny.

Mississippi River cruise

Finally we got to Cafe du Monde for beignets. I'm getting the order at the counter before the Mississippi cruise. We're across from Jackson Sq. with the horse drawn carriages and human statues. This guy crooned a song to Rene - really good. She bought his CD.. A fellow played his trumpet for hours along the shoreline before we sailed . I said on board, he's be smart to be there on our return so we could tip him. Sure enough, he was.

Natchez steamboat was an awesome trip. $35.50 included lunch. (Evening Jazz cruise also available.) This is a MUST DO TOURIST ATTRACTION- our favorite as the announcer talked non-stop about the sights we were seeing along the shore - a huge refinery and 2nd largest sugar plant (Dominoes) in the world. Foreign barges were going up the Mississippi for fuel or to leave cargo and Norwegian Cuise line was visiting Riverwalk.

We had fried chicken and ciollard greens, baked beans, mac and cheese, jalepeno corn bread and bread pudding for lunch on board. I put a round tip roast in the crockpot for dinner as I was so impressed with KathyMcLane's shredded beef recipe for the Glendive visioning dinner. A beef roast 8 hours in the crockpot can be shredded with a fork. She suggests dry onion soup, water, garlic and touch of cinnamon. It was awesome and have enough for another meal for the 4 of us.